How to make a jam-tastic Bakewell tart!

If you’ve enjoyed following Catherine Hill’s tips on jam making in the September issue of Candis, put the fruits of your labour to good use with this delicious recipe…

Plum Bakewell tart

Serves 8, ready in 35 minutes

350g shortcrust pastry

6 tbsp plum preserve

100g butter, softened

100g caster sugar

2 eggs, beaten

½ tsp almond essence

100g ground almonds

25g plain flour

½ tsp baking powder

25g flaked almonds

Icing sugar to dust

1 Preheat the oven to 190C/R5. Lightly grease a 23cm fluted tart tin that is about 4cm deep and line it with the pastry. Chill for 30 minutes in the freezer and then trim off the excess pastry. Line the tin with baking parchment and fill with baking beans.

2 Bake in the oven for 10 minutes, remove the baking parchment and beans and return to the oven to cook for a further 10 minutes until lightly golden. Spoon the jam over the base and spread out evenly.

3 Cream together the butter and sugar and then beat in the eggs and almond essence. Add the ground almonds, flour and baking powder and gently stir in. Spoon over the base of the tart and carefully spread out – you may get a few patches of jam coming through but don’t worry too much.

4 Bake for 20 minutes, scatter with the flaked almonds and then bake for a further 5 minutes. Allow to cool for 15 minutes before removing from the tin. Dust with icing sugar and serve warm with cream.